Emerald Fire
by Hellfire17
Summary: raised along side Zuko and Azula a young Harry Potter must decided which is more important to him love or doing what is right. he is torn between two sides both vying for his loyalty.
1. A Friend

Azula wandered around the woods, her mother had yelled at her for using firebending on a stupid cat owl. It wasn't her fault the animal annoyed her, interrupting her training. She heard the snapping of twigs and immediately went on guard. Both her mother and father had warned that as a princess of the Fire Nation she was a high profile target and that people might kidnap her to blackmail the royal family. She moved silently or at least silently for a seven year old child. She was surprised instead of seeing an attacker or even a wild animal she saw a young boy around her age. He was sitting in front of a fire pit it wasn't yet lite no doubt that was where the snapping of twigs came from.

She was about to say something perhaps mock his clothing, considering they were filthy yet strangely well made not quite on par with nobles clothing but rather closer to a wealthy merchant's, definitely leagues above the commoners clothing. But stopped when she felt a build up of chi, it was something her uncle had taught her saying that being able to sense when someone was about to attack with bending is useful. The man may have been a fool at times but he knew combat.

She waited curious to see how other people bended, she remember that most people learned how to bend on their own rather than from any teacher. She immediately saw several things wrong with his basic form. His feet were too far apart and his hands to close. She gasped in surprise when she saw him firebend, not out of surprise that he was firebending but rather out of shock of the color it was a deep emerald green!

The boy's head snapped to the side as he heard her gasp. He got into a defensive stance. "W-wh-who are you?" he stuttered out in fear.

Azula cursed herself for gasping as now she wouldn't be able to see anymore of how he bended. He was clearly a master firebender in the making if he could use green fire. But she didn't let that show on her face instead she adopted her usual expression when dealing with rich merchants a slight tone of respect but an extra dose of superiority. "Don't you know how to treat a princess. It is customary to bow in the presence of royalty." she actually had to hold in a smile when the boy gave a small almost mocking bow. Good someone with the potential that he had shouldn't just bow to the whims of someone just because they said to.

"What are you doing here?" he asked and she had to hold in a sneer once more.

"You don't have any right to ask such things this is my family's land."

"Oh sorry." he muttered.

"What's your name commoner?" Azula demanded.

"It's Harry Potter." she frowned so she was right he was the son of a merchant, a pottery maker of some kind.

"My name is Princess Azula." she said introducing herself.

"You want to eat?" he asked pointing towards the fire pit which she now realized held several animals on a stick. It had taken him awhile to get used to the lack to technology around him but he thought he was doing pretty well.

"Please your commoner food is beneath me." she said before she could stop herself.

Harry frowned at the insult. "And why is that?" he asked with a small glare.

"I am a princess of the fire nation and great granddaughter of Fire lord Sozin!" she said insulted.

"So what makes _you_ better? All I hear is that your great grandfather is better than my food."

She glared at him. "I am better than you! I am princess!"

"Prove it!" he retorted and she rushed him striking out with a arch of fire small but very good for a beginner. However instead of using firebending as she suspected to attack he only used firebending to block her attack before sweeping her legs out from under her. She was unused to such tactics as in training firebending was the only thing they were allowed to use in combat. He then sat on her to keep her from getting back up.

Azula glared bloody murder at him, and he was lucky she couldn't bend fire with her eyes otherwise he would be dead. "Get off me commoner!" she demanded.

"My name isn't commoner and say please." for several minutes she continued to demand he get off her. Before she remembered something her uncle told her. _Sometime swallowing your pride is the only way to become better. To always assume others will do what you want because you demand they do is foolish._

"Please." she growled out the word please. "Let me up Harry." the boy smiled and got off her. As soon as he did she tackled him to the ground and sat on top of him in retaliation. She smirked. "Now say 'please your majesty would you be kind and gracious enough to let me go free.' and I might let you go." she clearly thought she had the upper hand now. But there was one thing she didn't know about Harry he was used to a much larger and heavier person than a fifty pound girl sitting on top of him. So with little effort he pushed her off of him.

"You wish." he said as he turned back to the food she wanted to attack him but her pride wouldn't let her attack him from behind. That would mean admitting she couldn't beat him out right. "You sure you don't want any?" he asked holding out one of the sticks to her. She was about to insult him again when she felt her stomach growl.

"Consider yourself lucky comm- Harry." she said as she snatched one of the sticks from his hand and he rolled his eyes. Azula wouldn't admit it but the boy was a good cook.

* * *

Once she finished eating she returned to the palace, it wouldn't do for her guards and parents to get suspicious. Instead of reporting him to her father to get him punished for hunting on their lands, she instead decided to go back the next day. Solely to prove that she was the better fighter of course, it wouldn't do for the uppity commoner to think he was skilled enough to beat a royal.

Despite winning if barely this fight she found herself annoyed. She only won because when she set his shirt on fire he put more attention on saving the shirt than fighting her. To a noble or royal like her that didn't matter big deal she lost a shirt or a pair of pants while firebending she had hundreds more where that came from. But she realized for common folk that a shirt was worth far more than winning a fight.

When she visited the next day she brought a pair a Zuko's old clothes. she had told her brother that if he didn't stop teasing her about her hair after she came back with dirt in it that she would burn his clothes but this was just as well. Yep that was why she brought the clothing no other reason.

"Here." she tossed him the clothes. "You should be more dignified in the presence of royalty." she said as he looked at the clothing in confusion.

He looked at her and smiled. It wasn't like Ty-lee's perpetual smile which was more of a smile at everything or another noble's smile which was just to curry favor. It was a smile but genuine smile, without even realizing it she returned the smile. "Of course." he said as his smile changed into a knowing grin. "Thank you." he said sincerely with a real bow this time. Before he stepped behind some bushes to change.

When he got into his fighting stance she frowned. "That's wrong." he looked down confused was she talking about his clothes they seemed fine to him. She rolled her eyes. "Your stance. You feet are too far apart and hands are off." she told after a few moments he got into the proper stance. He had only made that stance because he saw a similar one on TV when the guy was controlling fire so he thought it would work. It just felt natural.

This time they tied both of them exhausting themselves too quickly for either to win. Azula frowned as she laid on her back catching her breath, she was better in every way when it came to fighting but it took so much effort to suppress his flames or disperse them. She could only do it twice before she was too tired to do it again. They were just so powerful, she had an easier time suppressing her father's fire than she did his. That wasn't to say he wasn't a good fighter in fact he adapted to her correction incredibly fast.

* * *

This pattern continued on for a month, she would go out to that clearing sometimes bringing something from the palace other times just coming for a spar. Her spars and talks with Harry had affected her in more ways than one. She had always been a prodigy the best of her age group and better than anyone less than four years her senior but now she kind of understood how Zuko felt, no matter how hard she tried she could barely match Harry much less beat him. He improved by leaps and bounds he was faster than her and stronger. Though his skills were beginning to level off now that he had learned the basics. That wasn't to say she hadn't improved she had by a lot, she was confident now she could completely destroy herself from a month ago in a fight.

The second major change was her relationship with her mother, she wasn't suddenly listening to everything she said and being a loving obedient daughter. But she was more willing to spend time with her doing some of the more girly things that she didn't find completely horrible.

"Are you ready?" Azula asked as the two circled each other.

He smirked. "Always."

Azula rushed him having learned over the last month that in a battle of stamina she didn't stand a chance. His fire was too powerful for that. She shot a burst of fire at his feet before flipping over his head and swiping at his legs. Predictable he dodged her strike before he sent out an arch of fire she dispersed the fire and twisted out of the way of his follow up punch. She grabbed his wrist and struck him three times in the side with quick jabs. She would have to thank Ty-lee for showing her that move. She followed up the jab by kicking the back of his knees.

Instead of trying to resist the blow to the back of his legs he let her knock off his balance dragging the royal down with him. She let out a cry of shock as she fell to the forest floor. But recovered fast enough to lash out with kick of fire. He dispersed the fire and sent a series of short burst of fire at her. She frowned as she felt herself getting exhausted if this continued much longer she wouldn't be able keep up. She decided to steal a move from him, sending a wave of fire at him blinding his sight she followed up by tackling him to the ground. He twisted as he fell so he landed on top. She threw a wild kick sending him back before jumping to her feet, but he had also recovered from her kick.

Before their fight could continue a call went out. "Halt!" from the forest a dozen soldiers in fire nation armor emerged. "You are under arrest for assaulting a member of the royal family." the man in front and the only one not wearing a helmet told Harry.

* * *

 **So before anyone says azula wouldn't care so long as she wins, older azula maybe. Younger? Not a chance, to stubborn to admit she would need an advantage to win.**


	2. Emerald Fire

Despite what Azula thought her trips to the forest did not go unnoticed nor did the fact that she normally returned dirtied and injured. Her father had ordered a small group of guards to follow her from a distance and find out what was going.

When the leading of the guards Konzo saw the princess fighting against an unknown assailant. He ordered his men forward. Of course he was a bit slow as if he had been there a minute or two earlier he would have seen the banter the two of them had earlier. Or even the unique fire that Harry wielded.

Once the boy had been brought back and placed before the fire lord, Azulon had ordered the boy imprisoned for daring to attack the royal family. To say Azula wasn't happy would be an understatement. Once she was cleaned up and had her few injuries wrapped she marched towards her grandfather's throne room muttering about stupid guards who wouldn't recognize a spar if it bit them in the ass.

Once the door to the throne room was opened by the guards Azula entered and reluctantly kneeled before her grandfather. "What is it my granddaughter?" Azulon asked.

"I wish to know what will happen to Harry?" she asked, her grandfather raised an eyebrow at the mention of a name.

"Do you know this boy Azula?" Azulon asked and she looked up, it was only now that she saw her mother, father and uncle standing in front of her grandfather.

"Yes." she nodded. "I have been training with him for several weeks."

"See I told you." Her uncle Iroh said in an exasperated tone. "It was just two children playing around nothing sinister." she wanted to object to it being called playing around but knew her uncle was trying to help her.

"And why would you need to to train with this _Commoner_." her father sneered.

"He-he special."

Ursa smiled when she heard her daughter say that. Suddenly her willingness to do more girly things made sense. Her daughter had a crush. Looks like the apple didn't fall too far from the tree after all.

It seemed Iroh noticed her daughter's crush as well as he let out a small laugh. "Ah young love."

It took a moment for Azula to process what he said and when she did a small blush appeared on her cheeks. "Not! Like that!" she yelled before muttering under her breath. "Stupid uncle."

"Oh then what is it like?" Ozai asked in a much less jolly tone than his older brother.

"It's his firebending, it different." Azulon considered this, it wasn't to rare for small subsection of a type of bending to appear. Sand bending, ice bending and lightning bending. He heard rumors of a young boy who could firebend with his mind causing great explosions.

He turned to one of his guards. "Bring me the boy now! And do not harm him." he added if he remember correctly the explosions were nearly instantaneous it wouldn't do for the boy to kill himself because he was injured.

Azula seemed a bit relieved that he was at least being given a shot.

The boy walked into the room wearing the same clothes as usual. It was only Ursa and Iroh however who noticed they were Zuko's clothes, Iroh because he remembered buying them for the boy a year ago and Ursa because more than once she had picked up after him. Ursa shot her daughter another smile which she dutifully ignored.

"I hear you have a special kind of firebending." Azulon said with a tone that was the perfect mix between power and kindness. "I would very much like to see it." the old man requested.

Harry seemed unsure and looked to Azula who nodded in encouragement. The boy took a deep breath and adopted his stance before unleashing a series of perfectly executed moves but while good that wasn't what was amazing. The amazing part was the emerald green fire that emerged from his attacks. Suddenly it made sense, why Azula would begin training with a commoner, many saw her blue fire as gift from Agni himself. If she saw another with a similar ability it would only be natural that she would be curious.

But Ozai merely shot his daughter a hard look, while she could summon blue fire it was only a brief burst and always exhausted her. For this _commoner_ to be able to summon green fire without effort was an insult to his family.

Azulon didn't care about that though, for a man as arrogant as he could be he was also surprisingly self aware. He knew a family didn't remain powerful by foolishly trying to cling to the past, or spouting superior breeding because they married other nobles. No he himself took preemptive steps to assure his family's future the prophecy said a powerful line born from one with power beyond mere men would last for a thousand years. He had assumed that meant a descendant of Avatar Roku. But given the powerful green fire this boy was now displaying it was possible he was the one, or maybe the prophecy referred to more than one generation. He didn't know. What he did know was that powerful children were likely to come from such a union. But he also wasn't a fool he knew he couldn't just force the boy to marry his granddaughter no the boy would resist attempts to control him that was the nature of fire. He had to be coerced to marry her, Ursa married his son because she feared for her family and village he gave her no other choice but to comply. However the boy had no family nor village to threaten thus he decided on another means of uniting his house with this boy. No a heavy hand would not work on him, but a guiding one would.

"Young man your name is it a nickname for Hara?" Iroh asked before Azulon could say anything.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know." hell he was lucky to know his name considering his family mostly called him boy or freak.

"Why would you assume it was a nickname for Hara?" Ozai asked.

"Because the world works in mysterious ways Hara means Emerald or jade." Azulon nodded yes that made sense the gods could work in mysterious ways. A boy named Hara gaining the ability to control emerald fire was not the strangest thing to happen.

"Hara." Azulon said making the boy turn to him. "I would like to offer you a place here in palace." Azula let out a small gasp of shock and an even quieter sigh of relief. She was still worried about what her grandfather might have done to Harry but it seemed her worries were baseless.

"My lord?" Harry said confused he wasn't stupid he may no show Azula a lot of respect by kowtowing to her every whim but Azulon could have him killed with a wave his hand. If Azula had demanded that, she most likely would have gotten rolled eyes of amusement.

"My grandchildren are in need of a protector, the fact that she could wander out into the woods get into a fight and come back with no one noticing does not speak well of their current guardians." that was a lie they were very aware of threats to the children and while them missing the boy was disappointing, it was entire possible they took pity on him and left him alone rather than chase him off of the royal lands. But he needed an excuse to get the boy close to his family. "You would not raise suspicion and your skills are clearly great if you can match my granddaughter." if the boy didn't accept he already had several back up plans to get the boy to stay the last resort of which involved kidnaping him but he doubted it would come to that. The boy was alone lost and clearly trusted his granddaughter, he would want to stay close to her.

"Sure-" the boy said before blushing and saying in a more formal tone. "I accept thank you, your majesty." he waved his hand dismissively and the boy left the room.

Azula looked to her grandfather. "May I leave my lord?" she asked the fire lord who nodded.

"Of course." he said dismissing her as soon as she was out of the room Ozai turned to his father.

"Father we do not need this _commoner_ to defend my children they are perfectly safe already." Ozai said and Azulon sighed, it seemed he still needed to teach his son about subtlety a trait he was very lacking in.

"I do not care about him protecting them Ozai! I wish for him to be closer to Azula, a child born of the union between those two would be more powerful than any firebender in the past."

"We do not need his-" Ozai objection was cut off by his father.

"I AM THE FIRE LORD! AND YOU WILL NOT QUESTION ME!" he bellowed and the fire in the throne room surged. Old he may be but that didn't mean he didn't still have power in his bones. Ozai glared at his father but did nothing else, even if he thought he could win against his father there was no chance his brother would stand by and let him kill their father.

Ursa smiled as her husband stormed out of the throne room, it was always nice to see him be taught humility. He was far to arrogant even for a royal.

* * *

Azula chased after Harry with a dignified yet fast paced walk. "Harry!" she called as he came into sight. He and the servant guiding him to one of the guest chambers stopped.

"Yeah?" he answered turning to her.

But instead of responding she turned to the servant. "I can guide him to his new room." she waved her hand. "You're dismissed." the servant bowed before walking off.

She turned to Harry with a smirk. "So you're now my servant huh?"

"If you think that means I am going to start listening to you that you are insane." he told her grinning.

"Oh but it is your duty to protect and serve this poor defenseless maiden." she said in an overly dramatic tone, placing the back of her hand on her forehead to make it seem like she was swooning. The two of them looking at each other before bursting out laughing at the thought of Azula being defenseless. The girl was likely to set you on fire for even implying it, in fact he would be surprised if she had done so in the past.

She began to walk in the opposite direction of where the servant had been leading him. "Come on it's time to go meet Zuzu."

Harry blinked as he followed her. "Who is Zuzu? A pet?" Azula burst out laughing once again.

"Oh he is kind like a pet." she said once she regained control of her laughter.

* * *

It turns out Zuzu wasn't a pet but rather her older brother Zuko and he didn't like the name Zuzu at all. "I told you not to call me that Azula." he said scowling at his sister while her two friends giggled in the background. Or the one dressed in all pink giggled the other just seemed to stare sullenly at everything. Though Zuko was glad to have another boy around, being constantly surrounded by girls was beginning to grate on his nerves.

"I'm sure Lala means it good fun right Lala?" Harry said smirking at Azula. It took her a moment to realize he was talking to her.

"No! No! No! I forbid you from calling me that! I will have you executed." she threatened glaring at him.

But Zuko laughed and smirked. "I as the older sibling order you to always call her Lala." Zuko said smirking at his sister, who glared at him.

"I order you to always call him Zuzu!" Azula shouted making Zuko glare at her.


	3. Challenges

The years went by and many things happened Iroh lost his son causing him to end the six hundred day siege of Ba Sing Se. shortly after Azulon died leaving his younger son Ozai heir rather than the elder prince. Though the circumstances around his death were highly suspicious. Especially considering Ursa his wife mysteriously vanished the same night. The only two who might have any idea of what happened to her were Harry, Azula and Zuko. Each of them had been visited by her that very night, though they all kept what was said secret even from each other. They each knew the other two talked to her but didn't pry.

Ozai had tried to remove Harry's influence on his children believing that having them trust in anyone but themselves was foolish, even the animosity he had been trying to foster between them had failed. While not as close as siblings could be Azula and Zuko were still pretty close a lot closer than they would have been otherwise.

At first he tried a simple route claiming he was unable to defend his children properly, but Iroh the ever compassionate fool. Pushed for Ozai to give the boy a chance with many of his generals supporting the boy he had no choice. So he had the seven of the best benders in the fire nation army battle against him to prove the boy could not protect his children. But the boy won against all seven! Not only that he won by beating all of them at the same time!

It wasn't that the boy was more skilled than them no that would have been too simple it was that his fire overwhelmed them completely. They were unprepared for the power of his unnatural fire. The first three to attack had foolishly thought they could steal control of the fire away from him only for the fire to overwhelm them and burn them alive, they lived but with heavy scars for the rest of their life. A sign of the power of the fire as most firebenders were able to instinctively put out any fire that tried to burn them. The next two he beat by out matching them in a battle of power. His fire burn much hotter and longer than normal fire meaning that instead of fading away once it hit the ground it continued to burn with no fuel for several minutes. The effort it took them to dodge the fire suppress it and battle against him wore them out to quickly. The next one he took out with a quick kick to the head rather using firebending as the woman had expected. The last merely surrendered saying that he knew he could not beat him and wouldn't waste everyone's time by trying.

After that Iroh had claimed the boy as his heir or rather his son as Ozai had adamantly refused to allow someone not of his blood to a have a claim to the throne. Ozai realized what his brother was doing, despite his jovial claim that the boy was the only person he met that loved tea as much as he did. He was really giving the boy another layer of protection against Ozai, it was much more difficult for him to act against another member of the royal family rather than just a guard.

His second attempt had backfire to an even greater to degree. He had hired an assassin to kill the boy but make it look like an attempt on his family. He made sure that his daughter's companions were there as he wanted one of them dead so that even if the boy managed to survive it would be clear he could not protect his family.

"I don't get how you can like tea so much, it's just water with some leaves in it, it's so bitter." Ty-Lee said as she made a disgusted face, she tried it once and it was terrible.

"That's heresy!" Harry called pointing at Ty-Lee. "Tea is like half my culture!"

"That is a pretty boring and depressing culture." Mai said, Harry shot her a dirty look.

"I don't need to hear that from you I wouldn't surprised if you found an active volcano boring." Azula smirked as she watched her friends bicker, this was a constantly recurring argument among them, Zuko refused to participate because last time he said he didn't like tea all that much their uncle somehow heard and dragged him into a three hour long session about tea.

Azula let out a gasp of air as she was suddenly tackled to the ground by Harry who then turned around and knocked Zuko's legs out from under him.

"Harry what do you think-" she was cut off as she saw two small crossbow bolts embedded in the tree right next to where they were standing moments earlier.

"ASSASSIN!" Zuko called hoping to draw some guards attention.

Harry kicked out with a wave of fire from where the assassination attempt came from. The assassin dove away from the fire and threw two throwing stars at him. Harry threw two bursts of fire before dodging the first shuriken the second though caught him in the arm. Harry fell to one knee as he felt pain course through his body, 'Poison' he thought

The assassin saw his two secondary targets and moved for them. Only for a burst of blue fire to cut him off. He nearly swore it wouldn't do for him to actually kill the royals. The man drew a long dagger and rushed the royal brat lashing out with his knife in a feint only to kick her in the stomach once she dodged.

To his surprise his secondary targets came at him, gotta love the heroes always made his job easier by running to their deaths. He slashed the girl in pink in the leg sending her sprawling to the ground. The second girl threw two throwing stars of her own and he blocked them. Before bring his blade down on his target.

"NO!" Harry called throwing his arm out but the assassin wasn't worried a firebending move would be to slow to catch him in time. Especially with that poison in his system.

He didn't have time gasp in shock when a burst of wind slammed into him and sent him flying to the wall. A weak secondary punch sent a second wave of wind at him. The assassin looked on in shock, he wasn't told he would be taking on the avatar. As soon as he dropped to the ground he ran, no amount of money was worth going up against an avatar, after all what use was money if he was dead. He wasn't stupid enough to go to the escape point that had been supposedly set up for him no doubt it was covered in guards instead he went towards his own prearranged escape location.

Harry fell to the ground as the poison overcame him. Azula rushed over to him and saw the sickly look on his face and came to the same conclusion he did and realized it was poison. She glared at the guards who had arrived moments earlier just in time to see the airbending. "Well! What are you imbeciles waiting for go get a healer!" she ordered snapping the guards out of their shock and sending several after a healer.

Several healers rushed into the courtyard minutes later and began to look over the down dual bender as well as Ty-Lee. By the time the fire lord heard the attempt had failed half the palace knew about Hara the boy who could bend two elements.

To say that had made the fire lord's life difficult would have been an understatement, a rumor had started that the fire lord was keeping the last living airbender prisoner as some kind of pet for his children quickly spread. Of course that was nothing compared to the second rumor that had appeared, Harry's slightly confrontational attitude with the fire lord was well known within the Palace. Many thought perhaps he was the avatar born again to bring balance to the world and that Ozai was going against the balance. Of course that was quickly disproven by the fire temples who said that the avatar was most certainly not him, as he failed almost every test.

Of course rumors were hard to squash once that came out someone pointed out that if he could bend two elements than shouldn't there be someone else out there who could bend the other two.

Of course some people saw what little of the truth they knew to be even more fantastical, the boy's only memory before waking up in the forest outside the palace was seeing a green dragon flying straight through him. And despite the recent dragon hunting craze of the last century dragons were still highly revered, to many it seemed like the dragon choose the boy.

This did work in his favor somewhat as to the commoners it seemed like the spirits favored the fire nation. But it was also dangerous, he daughter had the same lust for power he did. It may have been tampered by the boy and her friends but it did not change the fact that given time she would wish to unseat him just as he had his own father. Something the boy would no doubt be eager to help with.

Not that he could act against the boy anymore, that damn spirit blessing him gave the boy a great deal of political clout. Normally anyone claiming to blessed by a spirit would seen as a mad man but the green fire and ability to bend air, it was quite clear it was true. The boy wasn't loyal to him he was loyal to his daughter which while useful was not nearly as much power over the boy as he hoped.

* * *

A year past and much of the drama had died down while still shown respect people didn't gawk at him like they did at first. Of course that wasn't to say everything was peaceful, the constant preparations for war, always had everyone on edge. Ozai had been escalating the war effort even further he was determined to end the war with Sozin's comet claiming it started the war it would end it. He was also far more ruthless even with his own troopers sacrificing them by the hundreds to gain even small victories.

Harry wandered through the halls of the palace without making a sound quite the uproar had happened earlier today, zuko had called out one of his own father's generals on a plan that would sacrifice an entire regiment of new soldiers. He heard that the old man had challenged Zuko to an agni-kai something that made no sense to Harry yes the old man was skilled but beating his son even if he didn't love him, which Ozai did not would be seen as an attack on his pride and he would retaliate with a vicious zeal.

He snuck by the Fire lord's throne room and heard the tail end of a conversation. "I am going to teach that boy a long over due lesson in respect general. If it wasn't for your plan I never would have seen what a weakling he is." Ozai said with a small growl.

"He doesn't care for the fire nation does not understand sacrifice." the man said immediately and Harry held in a scoff classic yes men of the fire lord. Spirits forbid he surrounds himself generals who do more than just kiss his ass.

"Yes I will teach the boy respect it seems I have been too soft on him, I shall be fighting the Agni Kai it was my honor the boy insulted." Harry could help but let out a gasp taking over another person's Agni Kai was a bold move. Without making another sound he vanished unseen he knew exactly where he was going now. To speak with the dragon of the west.


	4. Agni Kai

Ozai waiting on the fighting platform for his son to appear he made sure no one told the boy that he would fighting him to make sure he could teach the weak boy a proper lesson. However it seemed Zuko wasn't going to the one surprised by his opponent. His eyes widened as instead of his son his brother walked up onto the platform. "Iroh this duel is between my son and myself what are you doing here?" he demanded a subtle threat in his voice as always.

Iroh gave him a cold look that did not fit on the kind man's face. "I believed I was going to fight a General Bao Brother my honor was the one insulted Zuko came into the war room under my permission and I happen to agree with the statement he made thus by calling him a fool and challenging Zuko's honor he challenged my own." Ozai shifted nervously in an almost imperceivable way fighting his son was one thing but his brother did not earn the title dragon of the west for nothing. "The better question is why are you here?" several of the nobles and observers began to mutter among themselves they had the prince had challenged his father in a decision but it sounded like he disagreed with a general and his father was trying to punish him for it.

"The boy has insulted my own honor speaking out of turn and insulting those wiser than him."

Iroh's eyes narrowed. "That is funny brother I don't remember father challenging you to an Agni Kai when you disagreed with a military strategy." the mutters increased greatly and Ozai scowled it was clear he was losing the crowd. Challenging his own son to Agni Kai because he didn't not approve of a battle plan? That was ridiculous he was just a boy. When most of them arrived they had been told that the fire lord's honor had been insulted by his son and he was going to teach him a lesson but now it sounded like he acting like a petulant child.

The official looked nervously between the two firebenders and decided to start the match. "Are both combatants ready?" he asked with a slight quiver in his voice.

"Yes." Iroh said calmly while his brother nearly spat out a "Get on with it."

"BEGIN!" he called before jumping back.

Ozai attacked first fast and furious launching fireball after fireball at his brother but it was clear from the start who was more skilled Iroh dissolved and blocked any fire thrown at him with ease. If this was a few years later Ozai could have won Iroh had let up on his training ever since the siege of ba sing se ended and was slowly falling out of shape. But right now he was a man just out of war and had experience far more combat than his own brother. Seeing he was getting nowhere Ozai decided to try a last resort with great speed he summoned lightning to his hands and launched it at his brother. Gasps rang out as Ozai summoned the lightning to use such an art against his own brother.

But Iroh did not try to dodge or counter instead he merely stood his ground and held out two index fingers. The lightning redirected itself into his hands but instead of striking him dead as it very well should have he moved and threw it right back at his brother. Sending him out of the ring and to the floor unconscious.

Mutters broke out amongst the crowd once more as the referee called the match the dragon of west had done the impossible and redirected lightning he truly was the greatest firebender alive. Iroh looked down at his brother and shook his head sadly. What had happened to him, he was always cruel but never this cruel. He sighed and realized his brother would have maimed his own son to make a point he was lucky that Hara had warned him or else Zuko would have been injured perhaps even killed. He almost didn't come not wanting to agitate his brother but Hara said something that struck a chord with him.

* * *

"What do you mean you might do nothing?"

"My brother may be cruel but Zuko is his son." Iroh said finding it hard to believe the man would harm his own son to that extent.

"He said he was going to teach him a lesson he would never forget! How are you even hesitating!" Iroh looked at him and Hara sighed. "I don't know why it would be any different here. I once heard that for evil to flourish all that is need is for a good man to do nothing. This pointless war started because good men did nothing and allowed Sozin to kill the airbenders believing the avatar would be able to stop him. They were cowards who waited for another to do what they were not willing too." Hara said before storming out of the room.

Iroh looked down before his eyes hardened Hara was right he kept waiting for the avatar to come and do something, he knew the avatar was still around the spirits told him so and he had been waiting for him to arrive before doing anything. No more!

* * *

Iroh had been trying to get away from the crowds he had been forced to mingle with, he had forced Zuko to stay on the side lines for the fight not allowing him into the before the match had started this was reinforced by the guards he had ordered to not allow him in until the battle had begun. He knew his nephew would not be happy about being forced onto the sidelines and he wanted to go check on him.

"ZUKO!" Ozai called as he recovered standing up luckily for him iroh had weakened the lightning so it while causing him immense pain did very little long term damage. Iroh's eyes narrowed as Zuko nervously made his way forward.

"Yes father?" the entire hall was silent as everyone listened with rapt attention.

You have disgraced yourself allowing another to fight in your place." Ozai declared and Zuko looked down in shame still yearning his father's approval. "You have lost your honor!" he said making Zuko look up in shock. "You are banished from the fire nation until you reclaim it by finding the avatar!" whispers broke out as Zuko's eyes widened, it was clear Ozai was trying to make up for his loss by pushing the shame onto his own son by giving him an impossible task.

"As a reminder of your shame you shall bear this mark." Zuko looked confused until Ozai grabbed his son and pulled him towards him his other hand coated in fire. Zuko let out a cry of agony as Ozai grasped the left side of his son's face burning him. Ozai dropped his son to the floor and began to head back to his throne as several healers moved forward to aid the injured prince.

"OZAI!" Iroh bellowed in rage making his way through the crowd who moved as fast as they could to get out of his way.

"Watch your tone brother you are speaking to the fire-" he was cut off by a burst of fire slamming into him. A dozen guards moved forward to stop his assault but Iroh took them down with ease. The normally calm man was infuriated, his rage filled face striking fear into the guards between him and Ozai.

"LOST HIS HONOR! YOU ARE AN ARROGANT FOOL WHO CAN NOT HANDLE THE FACT THAT HE LOST!" Iroh roared much like his title sending a stream of fire at his brother guards sending them to the floor from the sheer heat of the fire. "He has not lost his honor you have!" Iroh stated in much more calm but just as furious tone. "You dare call him honorless! you who was going to fight your own son in an Agni Kai because he cared for the lives of his country men unlike you!" his own hand became coated in fire much like Ozai's was a moment earlier. "You are nothing but a coward!" he thrust his hand forward and burned hànzì for coward into his brother's chest. "let this be a reminder of your shame!" he declared before leaving to go see his nephew.

Ozai glared at his brother's retreating back that was twice now he had been humiliated by his brother.

Harry smirked as the fire lord fumed he never like Ozai the man had too much ego, Azulon had an ego true, for spirits sake the man had a giant statue of himself built to guard the western side of the country and only entrance to the capital by sea. But he had a great cunning to match his ego. It wasn't lost on anyone that fire nation had nowhere near as much finesse as they used to when fighting. Nor was it lost that they lost far more soldiers and supplies during battle then they did when Azulon was leading their army. Ozai preferred the brute force tactics over anything else, he unlike his brother and the two previous fire lords had no real experience as a general.

Harry slunk unseen into the shadows once more, he had more chaos to sow.

* * *

Harry looked fairly normal for a fire nation citizen while his green eyes were very memorable but he had means of hiding it. A simple mixture turned them a more bluish color and an ability he had from before he even came here the ability to change his hair. It wasn't anything special he couldn't suddenly turn it pink but he could make it a few inches longer and a bit more controlled than his usual was at least for a few hours add in some makeup to hide his scar and he was good. It wouldn't be enough to fool anyone who really knew him but to a random person on the street he was just another commoner.

Harry snatched up a box as a man dropped it. "Need any help sir?" he asked with a bright smile and the middle aged man smiled.

"Sure thing kid thanks." he said before pointing to a bar just across the street. "My store is right over there." he said as they moved into the shop, Harry hide a smirk this made his job so much easier, a bar was the perfect place to begin.

"Hey Lao here's your drinks." the man said placing his boxes on table and motioning for Harry to do the same.

"Thanks Lee. who's the kid?" he asked.

"I couldn't carry all the boxes and the kid offered to help." he answered making the barkeep nod.

Like clockwork one of the men drinking spoke up. "Did you here about the prince?"

"What happened?"

"He got banished for speaking out against his father and letting his uncle fight for him."

"But that's not what happened." Harry said adopting a confused tone and look.

"You know what happened kid?"

He nodded cheerfully. "Yeah mom works at the palace and I got to see the fight." he said. "It was so cool the older guy was wapush! And the other guy fire lad or something like that was all like gah!"

"Oh why were they fighting?" one of the men asked again leaning forward there was nothing commoners loved more than gossip.

"Something about honor, apparent iron-"

Iroh." corrected one of the men.

But Harry continued like he didn't hear him. "Said something about how it was his honor that given a boo-boo as well and that he had every right to fight for his nepu."

"Nephew." he was corrected again.

"And then they started throwing fire and Iron." they didn't even bother correcting him this time. "Was winning then fire lad-"

"Lord."

"Yeah whatever anyway fire lord threw lightning and it was so cool but then Iron threw the lightning back at him and won!" they assumed he dodged the lightning and threw his own and the kid just missed what happened.

"Than later fire guy called some kid name zuso-"

"Zuko."

"Up to the stage and started this really long talk about how he was disgrassed."

"Disgraced." they correct once more. Not really caring too interested in the story.

"Than he gave him a really bad boo-boo by touching his face his hand on fire." mutters broke out they knew nobles could be crazy but burning his own son alive?

"Then he said go find the avater."

"Do you mean avatar?"

"Yeah that's it." he nodded. "Avatar. Any way than that one guy who fought fire lord earlier came back and he was really mad!" Harry exclaimed. "He beat up the fire guy again and a bunch of guards before saying that fire guy was the one without honor and that Zuso was a better man than him for caring about his own people. Than he burned a symbol into to his chest." here Harry winced again.

"What symbol?"

"I don't know but I can draw it." he said and there was scramble to give him some paper and ink. He then drew a poorly done symbol for coward but clear enough that you knew what it meant.

He then pretend to realize it was late and rush back home before his mom got mad. Going to several different bars he told the story various times sometime as a little eight year old kid sometimes dressing more like a teenager.

He also told the story a few different way for example one persona heard from a friend who over heard a guard that apparently Zuko had defended a whole legion the 41st from being sacrificed in battle. By the end of the night the whole capital knew what happened by the time Zuko had to leave the every town within the entire island knew and the news was spreading fast.

* * *

Even Harry was surprised when on the day of the Zuko's banishment almost thirty ships showed up and docked next to his own.

In the usual manner of welcoming nobles and royal the soldier exited the largest capital ship and form ranks on either side of ship's walk way making a path clear to the capital ship.

Harry's eyes widened when he saw the emblem on side of one of the soldiers. "The 41st." He mutter without realizing it. His mutter was heard and whispers spread throughout the crowd.

A man whose appearance marked him as captain came forward and kneeled before Zuko. "Prince Zuko the 41st division is at your command." Zuko's eyes widened in shock at the statement and he shot a glance towards his father. Did his father expect him to succeed? did he have faith in him? That hope was dashed as he saw his father scowl.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ozai demanded with a growl.

The man did not rise but explained. "My lord Prince Zuko disgraced himself on our behalf." the man said the word disgraced with clear skepticism. "If he is to find the avatar to regain his honor than it is only fitting that we aid him in his quest."

Zuko looked shock yet he felt incredibly touched this men were willing to leave their home to join him on what most likely would be an impossible quest. Ozai's scowl deepened but he said nothing with the way the captain had phrased there was no way for him to turn this against Zuko especially not with the crowd who had come to see the prince off eating it up. It made perfect sense and showed how noble the men were, willing to fight on behalf of a banished prince for speaking in their favor.

Not to mention he couldn't give a warning such as they shall not receive pay for this because he had stated when asking for volunteers for such a mission, that being will to join a banished prince in exile was respectable and show loyalty to the throne even for one who could not inherit for now and that they would still be payed for such loyalty. He had made it clear that this was a dishonorable up taking and that he didn't approve that was also why he gave Zuko a nearly centuries old ship to use.

Zuko still looked shocked before he composed himself and smiled before bowing before them. "Thank you." he stated the captain stood and led him back to his new capital ship.

Back on the ship he should have taken the captain smirked he had joined out of respect for Iroh plus he was old and his family could use the extra money, but he always felt his general had deserved the position of Fire Lord. so it was pleasing to the arrogant man get knocked down a peg.

As the small fleet took off Harry smiled that smile faded slightly when he saw Azula frowning in thought. "You alright Azula?"

"Fine." she said the frown vanishing. "Merely thinking."

* * *

Harry made his way back to his quarters thinking about why he had done this, it wasn't out of petty dislike for the fire no it was more than that. He had been asked by Ursa mother of Azula and Zuko to look after them. She was the closest thing to a mother he ever had, he hadn't hesitated to accept. She had been kind to him, scolding him when he did wrong congratulating him when he succeed, teasing him at times. He had cared for her and he knew it was because of Ozai she had been forced to leave. So he had done his best to honor her wish, protecting Zuko from his father's wrath and aiding him when he could.

* * *

 **Done also man was this long and RRW well Ozai did get scar as well so it's kind of balance. Also I don't believe Ozai commanded as much respect before Zuko was banished as he did when he returned. Iroh held much more influence at the time, he just didn't want the throne.**

 **Bluestorm28: catch up on legend of korra not the avatar is not the only one who can bend more than one element they are just the only one who learned how.**


	5. Emotions

Ozai was angry, sitting on his throne and glaring at nothing in his throne room. It had been two years since Zuko's banishment and nothing about it had gone as planned. He had seen Zuko speaking out as a way to finally be rid of the weakling, knowing the boy would be to much of a coward to actually fight against him but instead he had fought against Iroh and that had ended in his humiliating defeat against his brother.

Not only that but the follow up attempt of following through with calling the boy a coward for not fighting ended in him being scarred for life much like his son. He had been completely decimated against his brother's wrath. He hated showing weakness and hundreds saw weakness that day. Before fighting an Agni Kai was thrill for him showing the weak he was more powerful than them but now it had been spoiled anything being worn during Agni Kai was forbidden even the allowance for pants was fairly recent. Even he couldn't get away with wearing a shirt while fighting in one and that meant his defeat had to be shown to the world every time.

Not to mention the truth of what happened getting out, somehow word had gotten around the capital and from there the rest of the nation that he banished his son for daring to speak his mind and speak in defense of his own people.

The final nail in the coffin that completely ruined what should have been a victory was the arrival of the 41st division which swore allegiance to his banished son. Making what should have been a message that he was destined for failure be ruined by the arrival of a small fleet in which every ship swore to follow him. Everything about that day went poorly for him, his son left with a small army at his back, his weakness was told to the world and the only good thing to come out of this was that Iroh was no longer in the capital.

* * *

Azula was confused her entire life her father had told her that fear was the greatest way to rule, that respect whither but fear lasted forever. Yet for years now that view had been challenged, those men who followed her brother did so not out of fear but respect and admiration both things her father called useless. It wasn't fear that made Iroh so well respect but kindness, and the brother of the Fire Lord was far more powerful than her father. That was made clear in the one sided fight that led to her brother being banished. Yet she could see her father still was not as feared as he used to be, nobles who used to fear so much as hinting they were against one of his idea now openly talked about his mistakes and it seemed the harder he tried to instil fear the less of it there was.

Those men who followed her brother would fight to the end for him, he had earned their admiration from kindness. His decision to make what her father called a foolish and weak will decision led to the fire lord's position weakening, the so called disgraced and banished prince being greatly respected and the fallen dragon holding such great influence that her father feared him even now.

To clear up her confusion she decided to ask the one person she knew who would never lie to her.

"Harry?" she called walking into his room without knocking as always.

Harry put something that looked like a pai sho tile back into a small pouch. "I could have been changing you know." he pointed out but she just waved a dismissive hand.

"If I had seen anything I merely would have had you beheaded for daring to defile my innocence." Harry laughed at the idea of Azula being innocent he was pretty sure her first word was conquer, that or power.

"What's so amusing?" she asked with an elegantly raised eyebrow. "Are you implying your princess isn't innocent?" a subtle threat under voice.

"Of course not you are the embodiment of innocence." he said with heavy sarcasm.

"I don't know if I believe you?"

"Why wouldn't you it isn't as if innocent Lala has ever done anything wrong." Azula growled at the nickname that despite her best efforts Harry continued to use. She and Zuko had come to an agreement she stopped calling him Zuzu and he would stop calling her Lala. But with Harry no such agreement could be made, he enjoyed far too much watching her react to the nickname.

She took a deep breath and got back on track. "Any way I have a question for you." she said suddenly feeling uncomfortable, a foreign feeling for her. She was a princess people should fear her not the other way around.

"What is it?" Harry questioned, noticing Azula's sudden nervousness.

"Do you fear me?" she asked.

Harry laughed. "Of course I'm scared of you I still think you sometimes stand over me with a pillow at night deciding if you want to kill me or not." Azula smiled in amusement for a brief moment before it vanished.

"I'm being serious here." she repeated. "Are you scared of me?"  
Harry sighed and looked at placing one hand over her own. "Azula I'm not scared of you. You're my friend."

"Than why are so loyal to me? why do you do as I say?" a normal person would say because she was their princess or she was royalty but she knew he didn't care about that.

"Because I care for you. Azula why do you think Iroh fought for Zuko?"

"Because he is family." she answered. "And he believes that sentimental stuff about family." she told him.

"Your father says things like that are a weakness but think about this how do people speak of Iroh even now?"

Azula considered it. "They speak of him with respect talking about how kind he is and fair." she stood up. "Thank you." she said it was rare for her to hand out genuine compliments even to Harry. She walked out of the room having realized something.

Being fire lord held no real power not if people didn't respect you. Her uncle had to spend easily four times as much time to gain the amount of respect her father commanded through fear but fear of her father was waning and with it respect on the other hand Iroh had been essentially banished along side his nephew and he was still respected far more than her father. Those men followed her brother out of respect for his kindness. The men who feared her father would die for him, the men who respected her brother would walk through hell for him.

* * *

Harry was conflicted. He pulled out the pai sho tile that he put into the bag earlier. It was given to him by Iroh just before he left, and in his room he found a letter explaining the tile and it's meaning. "The white lotus." he muttered looking down at the tile. The question was simple what was more important to him doing what was right or love. A simple question with an impossible answer in a perfect world he wouldn't have to chose but then again in a perfect world this war would have never happened. He placed the tile back in his bag and rolled over feeling unsettled.

* * *

Zuko was content and he felt strange about that he knew that he should have felt angry, ashamed and a thousand other things. But even here on the edge of fire nation territory he was content. He still had desire to go home to return as his father's heir but he also didn't feel as rushed as when he first started his mission. He realized shortly after his mission began that his father wanted him to fail to be rid of him.

" _You sister was born lucky." Ozai said before sneering at his son. "You? You were lucky to be born."_

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the screams of a crowd, he looked around the market place and a crowd had formed around an injured young man. "Lee what happened?" asked one of the men in the crowd.

"Bandits they took her!" he exclaimed looking down feeling ashamed.

"Who did they take?" Zuko asked pushing his way to the front of the crowd.

"My sister." the man said not caring that he wasn't showing proper respect to a royal.

"What about your father and mother?" the same man ask and tears welled up in the young man's eyes.

"Gone." he forced out with a choked sob.

His men looked to him, technically they were forbidden from leaving him unguarded but in the time it would take to get him back to the ship and get back here they bandits would be long gone. "Which way did they go?" Zuko asked kneeling next to the man.

"West."

Zuko stood. "Find those bandits." Zuko ordered and one of his men stepped forward.

"My prince we can not leave you unguarded." there were only six of them here at least three would have to stay behind. That would not leave much for searching for bandits that knew the area better than them.

"I know." Zuko said jumping on top of his mount. "That is why I shall be going with you." his men looked at him in surprise.

"My lord?" one of said not believing what he heard a noble risking his life for a commoner. They knew he was a step above the rest of the nobles by speaking out on behalf of them but to risk his life for some random commoner.

"Hurry up or we will lose them." Zuko said before taking off and his men scrambled on top on their mounts to catch up with him.

* * *

The bandits were careless in how they retreated clearly believing that nothing could touch them this far out in the middle of nowhere.

"Hey there pretty little thing." one of the men said to the girl they had taken pushing her to the ground with a stick as she glanced around scared tied up while the men leered at her. "How about we have some fun?" he asked if it wasn't for his tone of voice and leer she would have assumed he was just another drunk coming home from the tavern but this wasn't the tavern and he wasn't going to dealt with by her father. Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered the fate of her father.

"Looks like she is going to cry." one man laughed.

"Don't worry I'll give her something to smile about." the man said as he began to pull at his pants. But before anything could happen a crossbow bolt slammed into his throat the man collapsed to the ground gurgling blood. The bandits jumped to their feet weapons in hand immediately on guard. It wasn't to rare for some heroic idiot to think he could beat them and try take them on.

Them being prepared for the attack didn't help them in the slightest. From the woods burst a man riding an ostrich horse on the left side of his face was a horrible burn, but despite that in his armor he looked regal. He jumped from his ostrich horse and kicked one of the men in the head with his boot taking him out of the fight before sending a burst of fire in the face of another. As one man came up behind him another crossbow bolt shot out of the woods and impaled him in the head. More armored men burst forth from the woods and began to take down the rest of the bandits. Not that she noticed her attention was solely on the man who saved her as he fought gracefully through the half dozen bandits, taking them down with ease.

Zuko grabbed the last bandit by the wrist as he lunged at him with a dagger. Yanking him forward he chopped the bandit in the neck with his hand causing him to collapse to the ground holding his throat. Zuko heard a sigh of relief and turned to see the girl who had rescued lying on the ground. He bent down and moved her into an upright position before burning the ropes to set her free. "Are you alright?" he asked.

The girl blushed and nodded. "Yes thank you."

"Chen!" the injured young man called once he saw his sister.

"Lee!" she exclaimed rushing up to her brother and embracing him.

"Ow!" he exclaimed as his injuries were aggravated.

"Sorry." she said pulling back, feeling guilty remembering he was hurt trying to protect her.

"Hey it's alright." he said pulling her back into the hug with one arm. He turned to Zuko. "Thank you." he rose from the bed he was resting on and gave a short bow.

"You're welcome." Zuko nodded back feeling a little uncomfortable with affection the family was showing each other. A foreign sight in his own family.

As he headed for the door he felt something grab his sleeve turning around he saw it was Chen. "thank you." she said leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Zuko felt a small blush overcome his cheeks and quickly moved out of the room.

His men saw his blush and noticed him rub his cheek. "My lord is everything alright?" one of his men asked with a grin.

"Fine!" he snapped his blush slightly deepening. "Let's get back to the ship." he men followed exchanging amused looks it was funny to see the prince finally acting like every other boy his age.

* * *

Iroh was happy, he realized now that Hara was right. By allowing Ozai to continue his evil merely because he was waiting for the avatar was no excuse. Yes patience was important, but he wasn't waiting for the right time to strike but rather waiting for the avatar to come and solve the problem for them.

Watching his nephew slowly getting drunk as his own men pour just a little more alcohol into his drinks when he wasn't paying attention. He smiled when the men froze seeing him looking at them as they poured more alcohol into Zuko's goblet, but he merely raised his own in a toast and took a drink. When Zuko had first gotten on the ship for all his gratefulness of the men following him, he was still distant acting as a noble would normally. As time went on he slowly became closer to the crew of his ship but even than he was still distant. But now it seemed that last little barrier had been broken and he was sitting with talking, smiling and acting happier than he had seen him in a long time.

His thoughts turned to his adopted son Hara or Harry as he preferred. He didn't regret giving him the lotus tile the boy had more than earned it. He was also grateful because though he didn't believe Zuko needed the validation of anyone, he was happy to know that he nephew wouldn't have to deal with scorn from his scar and banishment. He truly did believe his adopted son would be a force for good, he had seen it. Azula had been following her father's destructive past even as a little girl Ozai had encouraged her to be cruel only giving her validation when she was. But Harry didn't have any of the fear her friends did nor any of the bitterness that Zuko held from her father favoring her. He was her friend for no other reason than that.

He laughed in amusement as he nephew tripped over a table and said he was going to destroy it to restore his honor. Yes he was happy.

* * *

 **DONE! also honor jokes! and lastly we see the conflict building up in azula and Harry and we also that Zuko is more content less rushed to return home. things are changing.**


End file.
